1. Comhdháil 2016
‘1.2 Basic aim
The Association is a National Organisation which has as its basic aim the strengthening of the
National Identity in a 32 County Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games
and Pastimes.’
Thisyear isa special yearinthat we commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the 1916 Rebellion. It is
easyto have viewsaboutthattime inthe historyof our Countrybut very difficult to imagine what it
must have been like for those who lived through that period.
What we can be certain of is that on Easter Monday 2016 Captain Peter Kelleher, Óglaigh na
hÉireann read the proclamation of the Irish Republic from the front of the General Post Office
situatedonDublin’s O’Connell St., (formerly Sackville St.) andthatthe tricolour flew from a flagpole
on top of that land-mark building.
It cannot be claimedthatall the idealsof the proclamationwere adhered to fully in the last century
but Cumann Luthchleas Gael today makes every effort to embody them ‘cherishing all of the
childrenof the Nationequally’.The inclusion and integration committees set up by the association
and the GAA’s proactive role in child protection are but some examples of this. The Association
nationallycommemoratedthe anniversary with pageantry and song as did local units and all are to
be commended for their dignified remembrance of what was a part of the ‘birth of a nation’.
The ‘Laochra’ pageant in particular resonated with this County depicting as it did the ancient
mythology that is the story of Táin Bó Cúailnge featuring a Queen of Connacht who was, ‘not for
turning’, in her quest to improve the genetics of her cattle herd and Cú Chulainn the warrior who
stoodin herway.Uachtarán AogainÓFearghail remarked recently thateverywherehe went in Sligo
he felt Queen Maeve was looking down on him; we know that feeling well in Scarden.
Modern times
For Sligo GAA, I would suggest, it is more sensible to assess our progress since the turn of the
Century.Inthe last sixteenyearsthe improvementininfrastructure atClublevel has been dramatic.
In recent times three or four clubs apply for grants or loans to develop their amenities every year.
This has led to a transformation of the quality of playing surfaces and other facilities available to
members throughoutthe County.While Scarden is the flagship the facilities available at Club level
are best-in-class. The fact that cumainn have raised the finance to develop their pitches and club-
houses is all the more remarkable considering the increased costs associated with fielding teams.
The cost of providingaplayerinjuryfund issomethingthatdidn’tbother too many club chairmen in
1916!
2. An Scardán
Ár éacht is mó a bhí againn ná an ionad bar fheabhas a fheidhmiú go
hiomlán agus tá iontas orainn anois cén chaoi d'éirigh linn roimh e a
chríochnú. ‘Nil aon tinteán mar do thinteáin féin.’ Cé go bhfuil ionad
barr feabhais ar fáil againn anois nil aon dabht go bhfuil imreoiri ar
fheabhas le fáil freisin agus táim ag suil go mór le na gcluichí atá le
teacht an bhliain seo chugainn.
On a cold wet January day the u21 North West tournament Cup and Shield games were
played in the Centre of Excellence at An Scardán Mor. The Sligo, Fermanagh, Donegal and Mayo
teams occupied the four changing rooms in the building that had just been completed. The senior
footballers who were training the same day made use of the temporary dressing rooms that were
still on-site. The car-park was full and included team buses and a number of catering vans. It was a
wonderful sight and signalled that the Centre was up-and-running. Clubs in the County can be
justifiablyproudof thismajorachievementforSligoGAA asthere haven’tbeentoo many quite days
in the Centre of Excellence since.
A photographa few shortyears ago appeared in a local publication depicting a heap of clay
surroundedbytemporaryfencingasevidence,nodoubt,of the lackof progress at the development
in Scarden.
That pile of earth has now been removed and we can see the ‘promised land’!
Coachthe coaches
The infrastructure now available; the offices, changing rooms and state-of-the-art gym is just that;
infrastructure.SligoGAA hassimultaneouslyinvestedinpeople and our coaching structure is highly
developed. This year the coaching and games committee has changed the way we use personnel
that are traditionally provided from the ranks of students studying at IT Sligo, one of our jersey
sponsors.The arrangementwill now include the provision of one post-graduate who will take up a
full time positionevery year. This will give the coaching staff an extra ‘pair of boots’ on the ground
and is a very positive step forward for clubs and schools. Thomas Kelly, St John’s, is this year’s
graduate and we wish him well in his role.
Much has been made of the disparity as between the resources available to more successful
Counties,mainlythroughsponsorship,andCountieslike Sligo who realise that an All-Ireland senior
victory is ‘a long shot’ given the population base available to us. Our remit is to make our games
available to every child and adult who wishes to partake in them. In the case of children that
requires trained and Garda vetted coaches who will pass on the skills in a competent and safe
manner. I believe that Sligo GAA is meeting its targets in this regard but our full-time Games
Promotion Officers are there to assist not replace volunteers. The GPOs are in place to ‘coach the
coaches’and can onlybe effectiveif clubscooperate inorderto get the most out of their expertise.
3. Grow your own
The Connacht Counties have been asked, by the Provincial body, to consider taking a unified
approach to the provision of ‘backroom’ expertise, gear and other costs, associated with fielding
teams under their control. The initial response to the suggestions has been positive and the will
existstocontrol the costs associatedwithall teams in each county from development squads up to
senior inter-county level.
In time it is hoped that the expertise that is provided today in what is commonly known as the
‘backroom team’ can be provided from within the province. It is felt that this can be achieved
through the knowledge available within Aras Chonnacht itself and that the staff at Connacht will
eventually train-upindividualsineachcountytofill rollsthatare currently being sourced elsewhere
at considerable cost to county-boards and ultimately clubs.
One Chairman pointed out that the average gate receipts of €200k equated to the average cost of
fieldingaseniorteamtenyearsago and while gate receiptshave not increased the costs associated
with senior panels is now many multiples of what is taken in at club championships. Sligo’s senior
teamcosts are modestbythe standardsthat prevail inother Countiesbuttheyare verysignificant if
comparedto our income orthe level of sponsorship available to us. It should be possible to reduce
costs furtherwithoutimpactingnegativelyon the ‘back-up’ that is necessary for every inter-county
team to perform at its best.
There isalso agreement in principle that the Connacht counties will take a unified approach to the
provision of ‘gear’ and other services to development squads.
Discipline
Indiscipline among supporters or mentors at a match is a rare occurrence but we have witnessed
some poor behaviour at Club games this year. Long after egos and bruises have healed the
reputational damage, to the association, lingers.
At County level the appointment of members with some legal training to disciplinary committees
would be a step in the right direction.
4. Are three weeks too much to ásk?
Cumann Luthchleas Gael was established with the drafting of new rules for the revival of native
pastimesasits principal aim. The rules for the field games of Hurling and football were codified as
they were expected to have a small following in the new Association; well, we all know how that
went! Hurling and football are now synonymous with the GAA. Michael Cusack wrote “The
Association swept the Country like a ‘prairie fire’” and within one year of its foundation some 300
units had affiliated.
Both codes became popular because they were based around a community, usually a parish, and
required little more than the loan of a plot of ground to play. At a time when there was very little
entertainmentinthe predictable livesof ordinarycitizensitmusthave been great ‘craic’ to travel to
gamesand witness the local teamcompetingwithagroupof playersfromanother locality. Our own
writtenhistorytellsof marching bands preceding players and supporters as they walked miles to a
playing field with no need of a warm-up session when they got there. Players represented their
community andthe sense of ‘pride of jersey’became afactoringamesas clubsvied with each other
for County titles. It gave natural athletes a forum where they could ‘shine’. Teamwork came
naturallytoa populationusedtodepending on each other. The team that won the title went on to
represent their County as the idea of an All-Ireland series took shape aided in no small way by an
efficient, for its time, rail network.
In time the bestplayersfromall the available clubswere chosentoforma Countyteamand just as it
didwithclubteamsit isthat pride of jerseythatsustainsthe County based teams we have today. A
consequence of this system is that we are left with a championship that derives its panels from
countiesof various shapes and population ‘sizes’. These boundaries were established to make tax
collectionandthe administrationof justice possible many centuries ago and as a result of historical
factors; famine and emigration in the first instance, we have a situation where a County with a
populationof little more than 30 thousand is expected to compete in the same Championship as a
team derived from a population base of a lot more than a million and the fact is that we wouldn’t
have it anyotherway; pride of jerseyagain! Todaythe fact that the All-Ireland winning teams come
from a predictable group of Counties in both codes does not diminish its attractiveness and teams
withlittle hope of Provincial orAll Irelandglorystillprepare every year with the ambition to play to
their very best. An unforeseen consequence is that County players in the modern game are not
available to their clubs for as long as they remain in the All-Ireland Championship.
Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy’s, proposal to alter the way we manage the football Championship
recognisesthatthere isnoappetite todrasticallychange the structure asit stands.It also recognises
that the original and most important member of the association, the Club player, has not been
treated fairly for quite some time. The quest for senior team glory has meant that in even
moderately successful Counties the Club fixture schedule is at the mercy of the County team’s
progression. Officers cannot be seen to entertain the possibility of defeat as club fixtures pile up
because a Countyteam has progressed two games further than anticipated. No County Official can
utterthe phrase “if we lose at the weekend” andthe progressionof the championship at home has
to waiton a hastilyconvenedCCCmeeting normally held in a dressing room an hour after an inter-
County match and totally dependent on the result of said contest.
5. Clubplayershave longsince learnt‘nottoholdtheirbreath’where fixturesare concerned. The term
‘zerohour contracts’usedinthe retail industrydoesn’tevenbegintoexplainthe difficultiesfacedby
these members.Familiesthatincludeaclubplayerare unable toplan a holidaybecause they realise
that the Master Fixture plan is neither a master-plan or fixed. Such a situation would not be
tolerated in any other walk of life.
If the new regime was in place in 2016 the All Ireland football final would have taken place on the
28th
of August. Sligo exited the Senior Championship this year on the 16th
of July but in the new
systemthatdate wouldhave movedforward to the to the 26th
of June. While we are confident of a
longer run in the 2017 Championship the fact is that this proposal would give fixture planners the
abilitytoprovide datesforthe ClubChampionshipatthe beginningof the year, confident that there
wouldbe no reason to change them because of Provincial final or qualifier appearances. Also with
three extraweekendsto play with there should be no need for important club games to clash with
big-ticket televised events. In short the month of September is being handed back to the Club
Championship.
Population and resources are not as big a factor in the club game as they are at Inter-County level.
The club All Ireland, in the new system, should be even more attractive than at present and the
results, hopefully, less predictable than with the Sam Maguire or Liam Mc Carthy championships.
Withthese three extraweekendsitcouldevenbe possible togive the Inter-Provincial competition a
more secure footingasthe ‘RailwayCup’wasthe onlyforum open to elite players in less successful
counties to perform at National level. On the occasion of the 40th
anniversary of the 1975 Sligo
Connacht win, Iar-Uachtarán Chonnacht and Leitrim native Tommy Moran, in reference to the
paucity of titles in the two Counties, wrote, “It wasn’t as if there weren’t footballing heroes but
there never seemed to be enough of them at the same time”.
Teams that are good enough to make the last eight will have more games and are guaranteed a
game in theirownCountygroundregardlessof capacity;a welcome move towardsdecentralisation.
More importantlythe ratioof gamesto trainingsessionswill improveinfavourof games; something
that no inter-County player will complain about.
Those who site the tradition of the ‘third Sunday in September’ are ignoring the fact that the
tradition of club football predates the inter-County game.
Uachtaráin
Two former Presidents of the GAA passed away this year Jack Boothman of Wicklow and Joe Mc
Donagh of Galway. Joe was a relatively young President and had the distinction of playing junior
hurlingforhisclubwhile inoffice.One of the few ConnachtPresidents he was an exceptional orator
and will be rememberedforhisimpromptu rendition of ‘The West’s Awake’ following Galway’s All
Ireland win in 1980.
On behalf of anCoiste Chontae Iextendsympathytoall Gaelswhowere bereavedin2016.
6. Senior Inter-County football
FBD-League
Roinn1 Galway2-09 Sligo0-12
In JanuaryConnachtwas a Province of waterloggedandunplayablepitches so it was a relief to both
managers to see their teams perform on an excellent Tuam surface for the 1st
round of the FBD
tournament. Sligo fought back from a double score deficit in the first half and were unlucky not to
have overtakenthe tribesmenwhen a James Hynes effort on goal was blocked. Kevin Walsh’s men
were heldscorelessformuchof the secondhalf while Niall Murphy’ssix points, five from play, kept
the score board turning. County hurler, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, made his debut with the footballers
and was to feature regularly for the rest of the season.
Roinn 2 GMIT 1-10 Sligo 0-12
The Yeats’ men were sluggishinthe firsthalf of thisencounter at a well-appointed Connolly Park in
Collooneyandwere fortunatetobe onlevel termsatthe break. It was expected that they would up
their game in the second half but it was the students who pounced for a goal 13 seconds after the
restart. Substitutes,KeelanCawley,EoinMc Hughand David Kelly scored to leave one between the
sides but a converted free increased the margin to two and Pat Hughes’ injury time score was not
enough to avoid an unlikely defeat.
Roinn 4 Leitrim 1-11 Sligo1-8
Niall Murphy’s consistency in point scoring was not enough to avoid a third defeat in the
competition. It was a lacklustre affair and when Emlyn Mulligan converted a penalty five minutes
after Brendan Egan received black on top of yellow there was no way back for the Yeats’ men.
JohnnyMartyn tookill at the game and was verycandidabouthisconditioninsubsequentweeks. As
we thankJohnnyfor hisservice tothe countyteamwe can onlyadvise him to ‘look after number 1’!
7. Alliánz leágue
Eanair 31 Milltown Malbay James Bermingham
Clare 1-11
Sligo 0-7
Sligodidn’tmake enoughuse of astrong breeze inthe firsthalf of thisencounterinMilltownMalbay
but itwas all to playfor until GaryBrennanpouncedfor a goal at the 60th
minute. This was to be the
Sligo’slowestscore ‘tally’of the league and a little more accuracy might have secured the points. A
Brian Egan effort in the second half came off the post and Niall Murphy’s attempt thereafter was
blocked. It was Clare that got the breaks and the points for a disappointing opening game for the
Yeats’ men.
Feabhra 7 Markievicz Shaun McLoughlin
Sligo 1-11
Westmeath 1-10
A Kyle Cawley goal in the second half and an ever consistent Niall Murphy who scored five points
helped Sligo to a very welcome win over Westmeath at Markievicz Park. Mark Breheny’s accurate
free taking (4pts) was also an essential element. Westmeath narrowed Sligo’s decisive lead in the
firsthalf and followingthe teenager’sgoal theydidthe same afterthe breakbutthe Yeats’menheld
on for a well-deserved win and talk of relegation gave way to a discussion about the possibility of
promotion. The Allianz League journey was to produce many more twists and turns however.
Feabhra 28 O’Connor Park Eamon O’Grady
Offaly 1-13
Sligo 0-14
FormerSligomanagerPatFlanagan keptthe pointsinOffalyaftera disappointingday forthe visitors
inO’ConnorPark.Sligocompetedwell inthe first half but an Offaly goal meant that the Yeats’ men
went in a point behind at the break. Niall Murphy’s 7 point tally was not enough as two Offaly
substitutes hit the target to leave the home side two points ahead at the final whistle.
8. Márta 6 Páirc Markievicz Martin McNally
Sligo 2-9 Longford 1-17
The Yeats’ men would be forgiven for being confident enough of earning two points against
Longford in Markievicz Park and that’s the way it seemed to be going when Brian Egan netted two
goals in the first half. Longford’s response was to raise a green flag themselves and take over the
scoring department for long periods without reply. 13-man Longford were never in danger.
Sligo 2-15 Kildare 2-14
Newbridge Márta 13 Noel Mooney
This victory seemed most unlikely given the results achieved by both sides previously during the
league butthe perfect Newbridge surface was one factor that suited the visitors as the Sligo panel
produce their best on quality pitches. Another factor was that a much changed starting 15 were at
last bonding and collectively ‘producing the goods.’
One thingthat didn’tchange was Niall Murphy’s scoring prowess and his 10 point tally included six
converted frees and two 45s. Kyle Cawley and Kevin McDonnell were responsible for Sligo’s two
goalsinthe secondhalf with McDonnell’s coming on 67 minutes. The final whistle blew on the 75th
minute and it was the Sligo defence that helped to preserve the hard fought lead until then.
Márta 27 Paul Falloon
Sligo 3-10 Limerick 1-12 Markievicz
Kyle Cawley’s ability to score goals was on display again as Sligo performed well on an excellent
Markievicz Park surface. Brendan and Brian Egan raised green flags also to give the Yeats’ men a
comparatively easy win over a Limerick side that will be consigned to Div. 4 for 2018. Some bad
habitswere still ondisplayandthe factthat the visitorsscoredsix pointswithoutreplytoreduce the
deficit to three in the second minute of added time was cause for concern. The game saw Adrian
Marren return to active duty, scoring three points, and threatening to add to the goal tally.
Aibreáin 3 Markievicz Niall Mc Kenna
Sligo 0-18
Tipperary 3-9
1. A sense of relief was apparent all round in Markievicz Park when the teams divided the
spoilsandcrucially bothkepttheirDiv.3 status. Tipperary’sthree goals,one apenalty,made
life difficult and it could have been four but for Aidan Devaney’s save from a Michael
Quinlivaneffort.AdrianMarren wasunluckynotto raise a greenflag or two. Niall Murphy’s
consistency continued with a seven point tally in this the final game of the Allianz League.
9. SligobegantheirAllianzLeague campaignwithsevenfamiliarfacesabsentfromthe panel anditis to
the panel’screditthattheydidretainDiv.3status. Talent is emerging from the under-age ranks and
the new-lookteamwaseventuallymouldedintoaveryeffective force withhighscoresthe hall mark
of most of their matches.
Connacht Championship,12th June
Sligo 2-13
Roscommon 4-16
Joe McQuillan
On a day that saw Tipperary cause a major upset by defeating Cork; Sligo were unable to replicate
lastyear’sperformance againstRoscommonandcapitulatedtotheirDiv1. neighboursinthe second
half. The firsthalf lookedohsopromising withPatHughesmagnificentpoint-taking, Aidan Devaney
denying the home side and two goals one an Adrian Marren penalty and the other from
ChampionshipdebutantKyleCawley (onthe thirdattemptof a30 secondpassage).Itisfairto assess
the change in fortune inthe secondhalf byreferringtothe injurythatendedCharlie Harrison’sgame
and indeed season and Adrian Marren’s black card but it can’t be denied that Roscommon were a
differentteamafterthe break andtheiropeninggoal on30 secondsfollowingthe resumption was a
taste of what was to come. Pat Hughes continued to cause trouble but he was marked more
diligentlybythe Rossiesandwhateverchance Sligohadof keepingpace waslostwhenthe ‘primrose
and blue’ added three more goals to their tally.
2A Qualifier 2nd July
Sligo 2-15
Leitrim 0-10
Sean Hurson
The formulawas familiarasNiall Murphyputoverfive pointsinthe firsthalf and Kyle Cawley raised
a greenflaginthe second.Leitrim’swinover Waterford was to be their only qualifier victory as the
Yeats’ men had a 21 point margin after this contest with their neighbours in Markievicz Park. A
JamesHynespointcouldas easilyhave gone under the bar and a Darragh Cummins injury time goal
added to Leitrim’s woes.
10. Round 3A, 16th July
Sligo 1-13
Clare 2-17
Anthony Nolan
The Sligo panel was certainly not lacking in confidence as they faced Clare in what was to be their
lastChampionshipassignment. The concessionof aconvertedpenaltytookthe shine off a good first
half performance bythe wind-assisted Yeats’ men but the banner County, like Roscommon before
them, outclassed their opponents after the break scoring points from all angles. A late pat Hughes
goal took the ‘bad look’ off the score-board.
Clare went on to end Roscommon’s Championship on a margin of 2-12 to 1-9.
Sligo’sChampionshipseasonisdefined by two poor second half performances against Roscommon
and against Clare and no doubt that will be foremost on the minds of Niall Carew’s management
team as he begins his third year in charge. Ronan Sweeney’s towering and calm presence will be
missed on the side-line as the former Kildare player could not commit to another season as a
selectorwithSligo. I wish Ronan the very best for the future and his contribution over the last two
years is very much appreciated.
Connacht winning Captain, Noel McGuire will now partner with Keith Carty as a selector and they
will be eager to capitalise on the undoubted talent that was on display in the Allianz League
especially in the Kildare and Westmeath matches. There were many positives from games where
Sligodidn’tprevail andthe aimwill be tohave ourbest15 available forsome tricky assignments not
least the trip to New York that almost caught Roscommon this year. Coolera-Strandhill club-man
VinnyCaddenhadanexcellentgame betweenthe postsforNew Yorkwhowere unluckynot to have
progressed in the preliminary round.
SummerhillCollege andStAttracta’swere the twofinalistsinthe Connacht post-primary ‘A’
Championship and this augers well for the future of football in the County. Sligo minors under-
performedthis season andIam confidentthatthere ismore inthat groupof players than this year’s
results would indicate. The final year for the u21 Championship beckons and every effort will be
made to make progressinthiscompetition. JustbeforeConvention St.Attracta’s Community school
qualified for the Senior and Junior league finals.
Mayo’s drive forsix ConnachttitleswasstoppedbyamagnificentGalway performance and
the Tribesmen went on to win that title following a replay against Roscommon. Clare easily
accounted for Roscommon in the qualifiers and Mayo got back on track to reach yet another All
Irelandfinal onlytolose outina replay.Tipperary’sruninthe football championshipbroughta great
buzz to the series while their hurlers went on to win the ultimate prize.
11. Club
Tourlestrane were crownedBelfrySeniorChampions justifying their status as favourites from early
inthe Championship.There wastobe no two-in-a-row for St Mary’s who were missing a number of
players from last year’s winning side. Brian Egan’s six point tally was a crucial part of the victory.
There was some consolation for St.Marys when they won the U21 ‘A’ championship.
Molaise Gaelsreturnedtothe Seniorrankswitha convincingwin over Geevagh in the Intermediate
final, which was just reward for a year of hard work following the disappointment of relegation in
2015.
St Michael’s had a comfortable win over the Tourlestrane junior team to take the honours at that
grade.EamonnO’Hara’s 2-01 tallywasimpressive butMichael’svictoryneverseemed in doubt.4-12
to 2-05.
As jointmanagerof the SeniorTourlestrane teamthe All Starhadbetterfortune whenthey won the
Div.1 final on the same day. Their rivals and Champions of the Intermediate Championship looked
verymuch like causinganupsetas a winor draw seemedpossible in added time. In the end Naomh
Gael Molaise lost by the narrowest of margins but signalled their intent as they are likely to be a
force to be reckoned with next year having returned to the senior ranks.
All star inclusiveness
Liam Reidy, Keith Raymond, Cormac Began and Brian O’Loughlin received All Star awards for their
performances in the Lory Meagher competition.
At the All Star awards banquet Uactarán Aogain Ó Fearghail, in his address, made mention of one
awardee, Zac Mordi also a Lory Meagher recipient. Zac had in the words of an tUachtarán
experienced life in two war-torn regions before settling in the ‘relative’ calm of Leitrim where his
love of hurlinghasearnedhiman unlikely awardconsideringhisformative years. The remarks were
appropriate in light of the Association’s commitment to inclusion but the sentiments were not
always shared by people of influence around the globe in 2016.
The County Inclusionand integration committee is a very active group and will be busier in 2017 as
Sligohasbeenawardedthe title of ‘European Capital of volunteering’ following in the footsteps of
Londonthe 2016 recipient.The committeehasjoinedthe PublicParticipationNetworkandwillbe all
the stronger for its alignment with others who are trying to promote inclusiveness in the County.
Connacht
Castlebar-Mitchells wouldhave beenformidable opponentsforanyclubbut Tourlestrane gave the
Mayo Championstoomuch respectanddidn’tplaytotheirpotential inthe Connachtquarterfinal.
Alan McLoughlin’s nine points were not enough to secure a result for County intermediate
champions St.Molaise Gaels as Seán O’Heslins were the team that progressed in the Connacht
Intermediate semi-final. The Sligo champions were left to rue 16 missed chances.
12. St.Michael’s seemed to have the measure of Creggs in their Connacht junior encounter but the
Roscommon side left the best wine ‘till last and finished with four unanswered points to ‘seal the
deal’.
Hurlers insemi-final
Reports: yet to be confirmed, suggest that the Irish rugby team drew inspiration from Calry-
St.Joseph’s defeat of foireann Micheál Breatnach in the junior Connacht hurling final when they
went on to outscore the All Blacks for the first time in history later in the same day! The hurling
resultwas not as clear cut as the rugby however and extra time was required to decide a Connacht
champion in a hard fought contest.
Calraigh Naomh Iosef led all the way in their quarter final encounter with Fullen Gaels at Páirc na
hÉireann but the All Blacks got their revenge against a strong Irish challenge later that evening.
Gradaim an Uachtárain
Joe McManus wasone of the recipientsof the President’sawardsfora lifetime of workinCumann
InnisEascra Abhann-CillMolaise. TomHaran,NaomhGaeil Molaise, receivedanawardfromthe
Presidentatthe Scor finalsinKillarney forhisimmense contributiontothe Cultural competition.
European volunteering capital
Sligowill be Europe’sdesignatedVolunteeringCapitalin2017. Londonwasawarded the title in 2016
so this is a great achievement for the Yeats’ County given our population base. As a large
organisation based primarily on the principle of volunteerism Sligo GAA will be to the fore in
showcasingour County and our ethos. It is an opportune time to receive the award as it is planned
to have the official opening of An Ionad Barr Feabhais ag an Scardán Mor this year.
We will maintain our close relationship with Sligo County Council and the Public Participation
Network for this year-long event and many more projects.
The All-Ireland wheelchair hurling final is to be staged in Sligo directly as a result of the award.
13. MEDIA
We are verygrateful to the manyvolunteers whorecordmatchdetailsforlocal journalists as
well asthe coverage providedbyjournalists and photographers. Our policy is to endeavour to have
every match recorded and that is only possible with the cooperation of club members who have a
flairforand interestin this aspect of journalism. Sligo GAA is grateful to The Sligo Weekender, The
Sligo Champion and Western People for their continued reporting of our activities. The efforts of
photographers in particular are appreciated.
An Coiste Chontae iswell aware of the changedlandscape inwrittenjournalism.Marginsare
tighterand fewerjournalistsare coveringmore assignments. We feel howeverthatthe association’s
games and pastimes warrant more coverage in the local papers than they receive at present. Sligo
GAA is conscious that we have a part to play if this situation is to improve and we are willing and
able to provide the information and cooperate with publications in order to improve coverage; an
improvement that we feel would benefit all involved.
We are also indebted to Darragh Cox and the staff at Ocean FMfor their match coverage
and weeklyprogramme.ThisyearSligoGAA commissioned OceanMediatoproduce a three-minute
video clip to give the audience a flavour of past glories, present school coaching programmes and
the facilitiesatthe Centre of excellence. Althoughhe didn’tshow it; the patience of Daniel Browne
at Ocean Mediamusthave been sorelytestedduringthe production!Sincere thankstoDaniel,Emile
and Ciarán and of course John Hughes whose voice-over will no doubt lead to more offers!
On occasion the National Broadcaster takes an interest in the affairs of Sligo GAA.
Sometimes we might prefer if they didn’t but whatever the story positive or negative it is always
covered in a professional manner.
Every now and then a provocative ‘opinion piece’ appears in a local paper and this year was no
exception. Opinions are just that; the opinions of an ‘opinionated’ writer at a particular time.
Sligo GAA has an exceptional tool with a world-wide audience: our own web-site, which
couldbe usedto good effectinordertotell ourown accurate and verypositive sceál; sceál Shligigh.
While the site is operating satisfactorily at the moment I believe that it has far more potential.
Because; you see, we in Sligo GAA are a pretty opinionated lot ourselves. It is our opinion
that we have much to be proud of especially in light of progress made in the last number of years.
The turn-aroundinour financial situationhasrarelybeenachievedbysimilarsizedorganisationsand
the facilitiesatScardenare a creditto ClubSligo members in particular. I do not accept that anyone
is justified in using a privileged forum to disrespect the Centre or the Club Sligo ideal.
We will alwaysstrive forperfection,safe inthe knowledge thatitisasfar away as everbut in
supporting National initiatives as we have done in the case of ‘player burnout’ and constantly
improvingthatwhichis under our control in the County we are and will remain on the ‘right track’.
14. There is, thankfully, plenty to be positive about in the Yeats’ County and in a year that
witnessed a Boeing 767 arriving by sea to be landed on a beach in Enniscrone we should remind
ourselves that anything is possible if you put our mind to it.
Ba bhlian é a bhí sásuil go leor dár bhfoirne peile sna chomortais, ce nár bhuaigh siad
Craobh i ndeire na dála.
Dimir dhá Choláistí as Sligeach in aghaidh a cheile i gCraobh peil na Meanscoileanna
Chonnacht agus bhí mí-adh ar Coláiste Cnoc an tSamhraidh gan dul chun cinn a
thuilleadh.
Tháinig Corn Chonnacht go dtí an Chontae nuair a bhuaigh foireann Calraigh Naomh
Iosef CraobhIomáintsóisear Chonnacht agus rinne iománaithe óige an Chontae ann dul
chun chinn sa dúshlán ‘Ceilteach’.
Tá go leor a bheith bródúil as ag na gclubanna Shligighagus tá suil
agam go mbeidh bliain sásúil eile againn í 2017.
Nollaig faoi shean agus faoi mhaise daoibh
Belfry Senior Championship
Semi-finals; Curraigh 1-12 Naomh Muire 0-17
Clarsigh an Oirthear 0-6 Tuar Loistreáin 3-13
Final; St.Mary’s 1-7 Tuar Loistreáin 1-14
Kennedy’s Intermediate Championship
Semi-Finals; Caisleáin Uí Conchubhair 0-10 An Gaobach 3-13
Naomh Gael Molaise 0-13 Naomh Pádraig 1-7
Final; Noamh Gael Molaise 0-24 An Gaobach 1-4
Lola Montez Junior ‘A’
Semi-finals; Clarsigh an Oirthear 1-7 Tuar Loistreáin 4-13
Curraigh 1-3 Naomh Micheál 1-13
Final; Noamh Micheál 4-12 Tuar Loistreáin 2-5
